Mechanical bin-level-sensing control for domestic ice maker

ABSTRACT

An ice body maker having means permitting the drive motor to run continuously while interrupting the operation of the mechanism when collected ice bodies reach a preselected level. A sensing means is provided which includes means for cyclically ascertaining the quantity of ice bodies in a collecting bin and permitting a successive ice body forming cycle only in the event that the level is below the preselected level. The cycle of operation of the mechanism comprises a timed cycle under the control of the drive motor.

limited Stnteo Wotent Nichols [54] MECHANHQAL BIlN-LEVlllL-SENSHNGCUN'HMNL FUR DQMEfiTlUC 11 C1 1 lMlAllklER [72] Inventor: Dunne C.Nichols, Evansville, 1nd.

[73] Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation [22] Filed: June 117, 19711 [21]Appl. No.: 46,920

[52] US. Cl ..62/137, 62/233, 192/114 [51] lint. Cl. ..1 25c 5/118 [58]Field oliSearch ..l92/1l4 X, 67 P; 222/56; 221/10, 13; 62/233, 234, 137

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,541,806 11/1970 Jacobs..62/233 3,315,483 4/1967 Donahue, Jr. .....62/l37 3,446,923 5/1969Voland et al ..62/233 X 3,382,682 5/1968 Frohbieter ..62/72 3,312,0804/1967 Dahlgren .62/233 X 3,529,430 9/1970 Bauerlein ..62/137 PrimaryExaminer-Wil1iam E. Wayner AttorneyJames S. Nettleton, Thomas E.Turcotte, Burton H. Baker, Gene A. Heth, Franklin C. l-larter, AnthonyNiewyk, Robert L. Judd and Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & Mc- Cord[S7] ABSTRAET An ice body maker having means permitting the drive motorto run continuously while interrupting the operation of the mechanismwhen collected ice bodies reach a preselected level. A sensing means isprovided which includes means for cyclically ascertaining the quantityof ice bodies in a collecting bin and permitting a. successive ice bodyforming cycle only in the event that the level is below the preselectedlevel. The cycle of operation of the mechanism comprises a timed cycleunder the control of the drive motor.

112 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SHEET 1L UF 2 INVENTOR pl/A/VE 6. Ma /0.45

ATTORNEY MIME m: 22 I972 SHEET 2 UP 2 INVENT OR Bum/z" C Mc/ms ATTORNEYCROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED PATENTS An exemplary apparatus providing atimed automatic ice body formation may be seen in U.S. Letters Pat. No.3,382,682 issued to E. H. Forhbieter on May 14, 1968 for Method forHarvesting Ice Bodies and Apparatus for the Same. Said patent is ownedby the assignee hereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This inventionrelates to ice making apparatus and in par ticular to apparatus forautomatically making ice bodies such as ice cubes.

2. Description of the Prior Art In refrigeration apparatuses such asfreezer-refrigerator combinations, it is desirable to provide means forautomatically making ice bodies such as ice cubes and collecting them ina suitable receptacle or collecting bin. Apparatuses provided for thispurpose conventionally provide means for interrupting the ice-makingoperation when the level of ice bodies so collected reaches apreselected full level.

In such automatic refrigeration apparatuses it is further desirable toprovide for defrosting the evaporator of the apparatus from time to timeto maintain the efficiency of refrigeration. It is further conventionalto provide automatic means for effecting the defrosting at preselectedintervals such as once or twice a day.

Conventionally, separate time control means have been provided foreffecting the desired defrosting cycle. The motor driving mechanisms foroperating the automatic ice makers have heretofore not been utilized inconnection with the defrost cycling as the drive motors thereof areconventionally stopped when the ice-making cycle is discontinued such aswhen the collecting bin is full.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprehends an improvedice maker apparatus wherein means are provided for mechanicallydisconnecting the ice maker harvesting mechanism from the ice makerdrive motor to interrupt the ice-making operation such as when thecollecting bin is full, thereby permitting the ice maker drive motor torun continuously and provide a continuous drive for use in conjunctionwith the defrost means of the apparatus. Thus, the present inventionprovides an improved, simplified and economical construction overcomingthe disadvantages of the known refrigeration apparatuses discussed abovein a novel and simple manner.

The illustrative means provided for effecting the mechanicaldisconnection of the ice maker mechanism is extremely simple. In theillustrated embodiment these means comprise latching means forpreventing mechanical connection between driving portions of themechanism as an incident of a sensed full condition of the collectingbin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an ice body maker embodying theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section thereof taken substantiallyalong the line 2-2 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation thereof with portions thereof removed tofacilitate illustration of the control mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged front elevation of a portion ofthemechanism;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section taken substantiully along theline 5-3 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevation of a modified form of level-sensingmeans.

DESCRIP'ITON OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the exemplary embodiment ofthe invention as disclosed in the drawing, an ice maker generallydesignated llll is shown to comprise a mold Ill defining a plurality ofcavities 12 adapted to receive water to be frozen into a plurality ofice bodies. Mold 111 is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axiswhereby the ice bodies may be formed with the mold cavities openingupwardly and may be discharged from the mold by turning the mold to aninverted position with the cavities opening downwardly therefromsubsequent to a suitable freeing of the ice bodies from the walls of themold such as by twisting the mold. Rotation of the mold is effected byan elec tric drive motor 14 forming a part of a control mechanismgenerally designated 15 mounted in a suitable housing T6. The mold maybe partially received within an enclosure wall 117 projecting forwardlyfrom housing l6 as shown in FIG. I. A receptacle or collecting bin 13 isslidably carried on suitable brackets 19 to be disposed subjacent themold to receive the discharged ice bodies in the harvesting operation.Mechanism 15 includes a sensing arm 26 adapted to sweep through theupper portion of the space 211 within collecting bin l6 thereby to sensethe level of ice bodies collected in the bin. When the sensing armsenses a full condition, i.e., the condition where the level of the icebodies is at least a preselected full level, it causes a discontinuationof the ice body forming cycle by suitable control of mechanism 15. Thepresent invention comprehends an improved mechanism for effecting thisdiscontinuation.

More specifically, motor 14 is provided with a gear reducer 22 drivingan output shaft 23 carrying a pinion gear 24. Pinion gear 24 drives apair of gears, main drive gear 25 and spur gear 26. Spur gear 26 ismounted for rotation on a stub shaft 27 received in a front wall 28.Main drive gear 25 is rotatably mounted on a tubular shaft 29. Shaft 29includes a forward projection 30 connected to one end ofmold lll wherebyrotation of tubular shaft 29 effects desired rotation of mold l l in thecyclical ice-making operation discussed above. The distal end of themold may be rotatably mounted by means of a stub shaft 3i pivoted in afront portion 32 of the enclosure wall 17.

As best shown in FIG. 5, spur gear 26 includes a rearwardly openingrecess 33 and drive gear 25 includes an opening 34 which becomes alignedwith recess 33 at periodic intervals as a result of the different ratesof rotation of gears 23 and 26.

Carried on shaft 29 is a tubular housing 35 extending parallel to theaxis of the shaft 29 and arranged to be aligned with opening 341 at onepoint in the relative rotation of the drive gear on shaft 29. A pin 36is coaxially slidably mounted in housing 35 to have a nose portion 37enter into opening 34 when the opening is so aligned. Pin 36 carries arearward extension 38 received in an opening 33 in a rear wall 40 ofmechanism 15. A coil spring 41 extending between pin 36 and rear wall 40biases the pin forwardly against the drive gear.

Nose portion 37 of pin 36 is frustoconical and is urged outwardly fromopening 34 by a coacting frustoconical portion 42 whenever the movementof the pin into the opening is limited by the engagement of nose portion37 with the face of spur gear 26 and the resultant movement of rearwardextension 33 of pin 36 is not sufficient to remove it from opening 39 inrear wall 40. Thus, under these conditions, no motion of shaft 29 iseffected by the rotation of drive gear 25 as pin 36 merely moves in andout of opening 34.

However, when the condition occurs wherein spur gear recess 33 becomesaligned with opening 34, nose portion 37 on pin 36 may enter fully intoopening 34 so that the frustoconical surface 42 thereof no longer iscapable of camming the pin outwardly therefrom as gear 25 rotates.Concurrently the extension 33 on pin 36 is biased forwardly andoutwardly from opening 39 thereby freeing the tubular housing 35 andshaft 29 for rotation with gear 25.

Nose portion 37 of pin 36 moves laterally outwardly from recess 33which, as seen in FIG. 5, opens through the circumferential edge of thespur gear 26 permitting the pin to move in an annular path in lockedassociation with gear 25 in opening 34 for one complete revolution ofgear 25. On completion of the revolution nose portion 37 of pin 36reenters the recess in spur gear 26 and is cammed outwardly thereby torestore extension 38 to the position of FIG. wherein it extends throughopening 39 in rear wall 40 thereby once again locking shaft 29 againstrotation with drive gear 25. A more detailed description of thisfunctioning is presented in the above mentioned U.S. Letters Pat. No.3,382,682 issued to E. H. Frohbieter on May 14, 1968 for Method forHarvesting Ice Bodies and Apparatus for the Same.

As discussed briefly above, it is desirable to prevent further operationof the ice-harvesting means when the level of ice bodies collected inbin 18 reaches a preselected full level. In the present structure alatching means is provided which comprises means for preventing rotationof shaft 29 notwithstanding a continued rotation of drive motor 14 and,thus, continued rotation of gears 25 and 26. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and4, the sensing arm 20 includes an upper portion 43 which cooperates witha suitable spring 44 to bias the sensing arm downwardly into the bin 18,or in a clockwise direction as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. As long as thelevel of ice bodies in the collecting bin is below a predeterminedlevel, the upper end 45 of arm portion 43 bears against a cam portion 46of shaft 29. Cam portion 46 includes a depressed portion 47 whichpermits spring 44 to bias the lower end of the sensing arm 20 downwardlyinto the bin with the remaining camming surface 48 being circular andarranged to urge the sensing arm portion 45 in a counterclockwisedirection sufficiently to raise the sensing arm above the preselectedfull level during the remainder of the rotation of cam 46. Thus, onceduring each cycle of rotation of shaft 29 sensing arm 20 senses thelevel of ice bodies in the bin and, in the event that the level is belowthe preselected level, mechanism is arranged to continue the ice-makingoperation to form a further batch of ice bodies in mold 12. However, inthe event that the level of ice bodies collected in bin 18 is at least apreselected full level, sensing arm causes a discontinuation of theice-forming operation. To this end a latch 49 is pivotally mounted oncam portion 46 by means of a pivot post 50 and is biased in acounterclockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 4, by a spring extension arm51 engaging a stop 52 on cam portion 46. The latch includes a fingerportion 53 which is biased by spring 51 into an annular notch 54 in pin36 to lock the pin against axial movement in tubular housing 35.

When the level of ice bodies is below the preselected level in bin 18,sensing arm portion 45 is permitted to bear against latch portion 53when cam 46 is disposed with the recess 47 aligned with sensing armportion 45. Spring 44 is preselected to overcome spring 51 at this timeand thereby remove latch finger portion 53 from annular notch 54 andthereby permit pin portion 37 to move freely into opening 34 and recess33, as discussed above, to effect a 360 rotation of shaft 29, thuscompleting a full ice making cycle.

When, however, the level of ice bodies in the collecting bin is at thefull level, spring 44 is prevented from biasing the sensing arm portion45 sufficiently in a clockwise direction to retract latch finger 53 fromnotch 54 whereby pin 36 is held against movement into opening 34 andthereby drive gear is prevented from effecting rotation of shaft 29notwithstanding an alignment of recess 33 with opening 34.

Thus, motor 14 may continue to operate drive gears 25 and I 26 withouteffecting further operation of the ice maker mechanism until such timeas the level of ice bodies in bin 18 is lowered below the preselectedfull level. Upon such lowering, mechanism 15 is again arranged to carryout the normal ice maker operation whereby shaft 29 is rotatedperiodically as a result of the aligned relationship of recess 33 andopening 34 as discussed above.

As a result of the continuous operation of motor 14, it is available foruse in driving other mechanisms of the refrigeration apparatus, such asa defrost control mechanism or the like. While the invention has beenillustrated in connection with a sensing arm means for detecting thelevel of ice bodies in the collecting bin, as will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art, other suitable controls may be employed.Illustratively, spring devices responsive to weight may be employed. Asshown in FIG. 6, such a device 55 may include a coil spring 56 engagingthe underside of a lip 57 of the collecting bin 18 and held in positionby a suitable spring retainer 58 whereby the arm portion 20 senses thelevel of the top lip 57 of the storage bin. In this embodiment the levelof lip 57 is dependent on the weight of ice collected and predeterminedlow level of the lip 57 indicates a full bin. Thus the sensing arm isinclined to the left in this embodiment so that a counterclockwisepivoting of portion 20 will cause sensing arm portion 45 to move free oflatch portion 55. In addition, the sensing arm is biased oppositely tothat of the embodiment of FIGS. l-5, the spring 56 being selected to bemore powerful than the sensing arm biasing spring so as to overcome thebias when the bin is not full.

The means for controlling the movement of pin 36 to provide theselective discontinuation of operation of mechanism 15 is extremelysimple while yet providing the highly desirable advantages discussedabove.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of thebroad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.

Having described the invention, the embodiments of the invention inwhich an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined asfollows:

1. In an ice body maker having a mold for forming ice bodies, areceptacle for collecting formed ice bodies transferred thereto in aharvesting operation, and means requiring a timed operation differingfrom that of the ice body forming and harvesting operations, mechanismfor controlling the transfer of ice bodies from the mold to thereceptacle compris-. ing: ice-harvesting means for causing transfer ofice bodies from the mold to the receptacle; drive means; control meansoperated by said drive means for cyclically causing formation of icebodies in said mold; means cyclically connecting the drive means to saidharvesting means for transferring formed ice bodies from said mold tosaid receptacle; latching means for preventing connection between saiddrive means and said ice-harvesting means as an incident of the level ofice bodies collected in said receptacle reaching a preselected level andpermitting reconnection of said drive means to said ice-harvesting meansupon the level being reduced to below said preselected level; and meansconnecting the drive means to said means requiring a timed operationdiffering from that of the ice body forming and harvesting operationsfor operating the same permitting the effecting of said third operationindependently of the connection or disconnection of said drive means tosaid forming and harvesting operations.

2. The ice body maker of claim 1 wherein said mechanism includes a firstconnector for receiving a driving force from said drive means, saidconnecting means includes a second connector selectively engageable withsaid first connector, and said connection preventing means comprisesmeans preventing engagement of said second connector with said firstconnector as an incident of the level of ice bodies collected in saidreceptacle reaching a preselected full level and permitting engagementof said second connector with said first connector upon the level beingreduced to below said preselected level.

3. The ice body maker of claim 1 including means for biasing saidconnecting means to a condition wherein the drive means is connected tosaid ice-harvesting means and said latching means comprises means forlocking the connecting means against the action of said biasing means topreclude the connection thereby of said drive means to saidice-harvesting means.

4. The ice body maker of claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprisesa connector movably carried for movement with said drive means andshoulder means in said ice-harvesting means disposed for selectiveabutment by said connector.

5. The ice body maker of claim 4 wherein said connector comprises a pin.

6. Apparatus for controlling an ice body maker having a collecting binfor collecting ice bodies formed by said ice body maker, said apparatuscomprising: a drive gear; drive means for continuously rotating thedrive gear; a cam connected to the ice body maker for effectingmechanical operation thereof 5 in an ice body forming and harvestingcycle; means for connecting the drive gear to the cam for rotation ofthe cam therewith as an incident of said drive gear having been rotateda preselected number of times; and latching means for preventingoperation of said connecting means to connect said gear to said cam inthe event the level of ice bodies in said collecting bin is at apreselected high level.

'7. The apparatus of claim 6 including a sensing arm and means forcyclically moving said sensing arm relative to said collecting bin forsensing the level of ice bodies collected in said collecting bin, saidsensing arm being adapted to over come said latching means when thelevel of ice bodies in said collecting bin is below said predeterminedlevel.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said connecting means comprises apin carried by said cam, an aperture in said drive gear, means biasingsaid pin toward said drive gear, and means permitting the biased pin tomove into said aperture to lock said cam and drive gear for coaxialrotation as an incident of said drive gear having been rotated apreselected number of times with the level of the collected ice bodiesin said collecting bin being below said preselected high level.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said ice body maker includes an arm,means for cyclically moving said arm into said collecting bin to sensethe level ofice bodies collected therein, control means for preventingmovement of said pin toward said drive gear by said biasing means, andmeans associated with said arm for overcoming said control means topermit movement of said pin into said drive gear aperture when the levelof collected ice bodies is below said preselected level.

lltl. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said control means comprisesspring means biased to lock said pin against movement.

ill. The apparatus of claim lld further including means for biasing saidarm to cause said means associated therewith to overcome saidspring-biased control means when the level of collected ice bodies isbelow said preselected level.

12. The apparatus of claim ll wherein said timed operation comprises adefrosting cycle operation.

1. In an ice body maker having a mold for forming ice bodies, areceptacle for collecting formed ice bodies transferred thereto in aharvesting operation, and means requiring a timed operation differingfrom that of the ice body forming and harvesting operations, mechanismfor controlling the transfer of ice bodies from the mold to thereceptacle comprising: ice-harvesting means for causing transfer of icebodies from the mold to the receptacle; drive means; control meansoperated by said drive means for cyclically causing formation of icebodies in said mold; means cyclically connecting the drive means to saidharvesting means for transferring formed ice bodies from said mold tosaid receptacle; latching means for preventing connection between saiddrive means and said ice-harvesting means as an incident of the level ofice bodies collected in said receptacle reaching a preselected level andpermitting reconnection of saiD drive means to said ice-harvesting meansupon the level being reduced to below said preselected level; and meansconnecting the drive means to said means requiring a timed operationdiffering from that of the ice body forming and harvesting operationsfor operating the same permitting the effecting of said third operationindependently of the connection or disconnection of said drive means tosaid forming and harvesting operations.
 2. The ice body maker of claim 1wherein said mechanism includes a first connector for receiving adriving force from said drive means, said connecting means includes asecond connector selectively engageable with said first connector, andsaid connection preventing means comprises means preventing engagementof said second connector with said first connector as an incident of thelevel of ice bodies collected in said receptacle reaching a preselectedfull level and permitting engagement of said second connector with saidfirst connector upon the level being reduced to below said preselectedlevel.
 3. The ice body maker of claim 1 including means for biasing saidconnecting means to a condition wherein the drive means is connected tosaid ice-harvesting means and said latching means comprises means forlocking the connecting means against the action of said biasing means topreclude the connection thereby of said drive means to saidice-harvesting means.
 4. The ice body maker of claim 1 wherein saidconnecting means comprises a connector movably carried for movement withsaid drive means and shoulder means in said ice-harvesting meansdisposed for selective abutment by said connector.
 5. The ice body makerof claim 4 wherein said connector comprises a pin.
 6. Apparatus forcontrolling an ice body maker having a collecting bin for collecting icebodies formed by said ice body maker, said apparatus comprising: a drivegear; drive means for continuously rotating the drive gear; a camconnected to the ice body maker for effecting mechanical operationthereof in an ice body forming and harvesting cycle; means forconnecting the drive gear to the cam for rotation of the cam therewithas an incident of said drive gear having been rotated a preselectednumber of times; and latching means for preventing operation of saidconnecting means to connect said gear to said cam in the event the levelof ice bodies in said collecting bin is at a preselected high level. 7.The apparatus of claim 6 including a sensing arm and means forcyclically moving said sensing arm relative to said collecting bin forsensing the level of ice bodies collected in said collecting bin, saidsensing arm being adapted to overcome said latching means when the levelof ice bodies in said collecting bin is below said predetermined level.8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said connecting means comprises apin carried by said cam, an aperture in said drive gear, means biasingsaid pin toward said drive gear, and means permitting the biased pin tomove into said aperture to lock said cam and drive gear for coaxialrotation as an incident of said drive gear having been rotated apreselected number of times with the level of the collected ice bodiesin said collecting bin being below said preselected high level.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 8 wherein said ice body maker includes an arm, meansfor cyclically moving said arm into said collecting bin to sense thelevel of ice bodies collected therein, control means for preventingmovement of said pin toward said drive gear by said biasing means, andmeans associated with said arm for overcoming said control means topermit movement of said pin into said drive gear aperture when the levelof collected ice bodies is below said preselected level.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 9 wherein said control means comprises spring meansbiased to lock said pin against movement.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10further including means for biasing said arm to cause said meansassociated therewith to overcome said spring-biased cOntrol means whenthe level of collected ice bodies is below said preselected level. 12.The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said timed operation comprises adefrosting cycle operation.